Through Death and Rebirth
by femegade
Summary: The Hero of the Citadel has been brought back from the dead for the sole purpose of saving humanity. As she struggles to adapt to her unfamiliar body, she seeks out both new and old friends across the galaxy. FemShep/Garrus V. and some FemShep/Thane K.
1. Prologue

**Prologue to the sequel of Through Fire and Storm...**

**If you have not yet read the prequel to this story, Through Fire and Storm, while it is not required it is highly recommended that you do so before proceeding. Thank you!  
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Shepard stared blankly at the glossy new monitor above her desk. They had not seen any geth for days since they've been sent out two weeks ago. The lack of action was wearing on her nerves. The Council had decided that her sole mission would be to eradicate the geth. For once, she missed the constant interruptions from Admiral Hackett requesting that she investigate this or that. But the comm remained silent. She absently pulled at the chain that hung at her neck. Two turian insignias and a human military dog tag hung from the end of it. As she studied the turian writing on the insignias she couldn't help but wonder how Garrus was doing. This last trip out, he had stayed behind to tie up some loose ends at C-Sec and take care of the formal screening process involved with his Spectre application. She anticipated that the next time she docked at the Citadel, he would be ready to begin his formal evaluation. The Council agreed to allow Shepard to take over his evaluation, despite Valern's reluctance. _Ha!_ She grinned, recalling the irritated expression on the turian Councilor's face.

A faint rumbling from the ship caused the smile to fade and her head perk up. She stood and stilled as she waited for any following tremors. After a few moments of silence and stillness, she allowed her body to be at ease. _Guess I should go see what that was about, _she grumbled silently to herself. Suddenly another tremble reverberated throughout the ship, this one violent and abrupt enough to throw Shepard off her feet, causing her to land hard on her back. She scrambled to her feet, the shaking of the ship unrelenting. She glanced over just in time to see her brand new monitor fall face-forward with a crash. "Joker! What's going on out there?"

"_We're under attack. Something just knocked out our kinetic barriers and weapons systems," _Joker replied frantically_. "They're still in pursuit. I can't shake 'em."_

"I'll be right there, Joker!" She quickly sprinted from her cabin to her locker, suiting up at record speed. Another explosion nearly threw her off balance but she successfully caught herself before plummeting face-first into the lockers. Members of the crew were thrown into a frenzy. Some made their way toward the escape pods while others, confused by the chaos, hesitated, waiting for orders. Suited up and helmet in hand, she dashed toward the end of the ship to activate the distress beacon.

"Shepard!" Kaidan called out just as she was sealing her helmet. She turned to find the Lieutenant rushing toward her.

"Distress beacon is launched," she informed him as she grabbed a fire extinguisher and began putting out some of the angry flames that licked at the beacon console.

"Will the Alliance make it in time?"

"They damn well better," she spat. She didn't doubt that the ship may be lost, but the Alliance would certainly come to collect the escape pods. She just had to make sure all survivors were in those pods. She placed a hand on Kaidan's shoulder, peering into his eyes through the glass in her helmet. "Kaidan, I need you to get everyone to the escape pods."

He shook his head in the negative. "Joker is still in the cockpit. He won't abandon ship."

"I'll handle, Joker. Go make sure the crew gets evacuated." She paused briefly. "And don't let Wrex give you any shit."

"I'm not leaving you," he objected

"Kaidan, we don't have time to argue. I'll be right behind you. Trust me."

Of course he trusted her. He always would. "Aye aye," he said, giving her one last glance before heading towards the pods.

She made one last effort to extinguish the flames around the console before deciding it was a lost cause. Suddenly, another explosion rocked the ship, throwing Shepard back against a stasis pod. Loose cables tangled around her helmet and stuck between the segments of her armor. Fire spewed around her as she worked herself free of the cables. "Just what I need," she growled out loud to no one. Unhooking the final cable from her armor, and finally unrestricted she dashed towards the mess. Veering right, she rushed up the stairs, debris flying from every direction as explosions within the ship became more frequent. As the door opened to the upper deck, time seemed to slow and the air grew silent. A gaping hole in the hull explained why the ship's environment was no longer contained. Making her way slowly through the darkened CIC she peered up through the opening where the planet Alchera loomed peacefully over the chaos. Focusing her attention forward again, she could see Joker up ahead, contained within a protective barrier that still held some of the ships last remaining oxygen.

He spun around, a surprised look on his face when she roughly grabbed his shoulder. "Get out of here, Joker. Now."

"No. I won't abandon the Normandy. I can still save her!"

"The Normandy is gone. Don't throw your life away."

The pilot sighed and shook his head in dismay. He knew she was right. "Fine, help me up." She pulled his arm up over her shoulder and heaved him out of his chair. "Hey, be careful will ya?"

Ignoring his comments she half led, half drug him to the last escape pod. As the door swished open, a sense of relief washed over her. They were so close now. They were going to make it. Leveraging Joker's arm she guided him into the pod. An explosion to her right caused her to hesitate. That hesitation was a mistake. She could feel the intense heat seeping through her suit as the flames grew wild. Another explosion shook the pod violently and spewed debris from the broken ship every which way. A large chunk of metal slammed into her hard, throwing her back. Her hands grappled for the edge of the pod, but missed, the lack of gravity causing her to float opposite it. As she drifted backwards a bright beam of blinding light blocked the path between her and the safety of the pod. Her eyes drifted to the launch controls and her heart clenched in her chest. She was too far from the pod now and Joker would be in immediate danger if the pod didn't launch. At least one of them would make it out. Holding her breath, her hand pressed against the control. As the door slid closed she heard Joker's desperate shout from inside. "Shepard! No!"

A blast tossed her backward into space, clear of the floating debris from the broken vessel. Silence. Only the sound of her breathing could be heard in the dead of space. Pieces of the Normandy floated away into the darkness. As she drifted, she could quickly feel the oxygen levels in her suit grow shallow and her breath becoming more laborious. Her heart began to race as she realized one of her oxygen tubes had broken, leaking her precious life source out into space. She reached her arms back, struggling to catch the lose cable, but to no avail. Her chest felt as if it would burst as her lungs screamed for the oxygen that wouldn't come. When her body stilled, accepting the darkness of space, she allowed her final thoughts to drift to the team that she would leave behind. Those very different people, whom had initially had their own reasons for joining her cause, had become her friends. The thought comforted her and her lungs no longer ached. And even in the black emptiness of space, she didn't feel alone.

* * *

><p>Garrus steadily made his way up the long stairway that led to the human Councilor's office. David Anderson, whom Shepard had appointed Councilor after the attack on the Citadel, had summoned the young turian. He couldn't be certain why. As far as he knew the Council was still running background checks on him and his psychological evaluation still hadn't been completed. So why now? Hopefully they weren't about to turn down his application into the Spectres. While he had thought about join the Spectres before, he hadn't wanted it quite so much until after meeting Shepard. Now, he needed it.<p>

Upon reaching the door, he hesitated. Anderson had no guards like the other Councilors, so he keyed himself in and entered. As he stepped into the room he was met by Councilor Anderson and the holo images of the asari and salarian Councilors. It appeared that the turian Councilor, Valern, had not yet arrived.

"Officer Vakarian," Anderson greeted him. I'm glad you could make it on such short notice."

"Please Councilor, just call me Garrus. I'm not an officer anymore."

"Garrus then," he corrected himself. He motioned for Garrus to move forward to stand before the other Council members.

"Will we be waiting for the turian Councilor?" Garrus inquired.

"Unfortunately, Councilor Valern will be unable to join us," the asari replied hesitantly, her eyes shifting to the salarian to her left.

"Garrus Vakarian," the salarian Councilor addressed him. "We have called you here because we have just recently learned of an unfortunate… accident." He seemed to struggle with the last word.

"What accident?" Garrus demanded, his attention turning toward the human Councilor questionably. His mandibles clacked nervously against his face as he awaited an answer.

Anderson bowed his head slightly. "The Normandy has been destroyed. The Alliance Fleet has recovered the escape pods, but – "

"Where is Shepard?" Garrus interrupted. He narrowed his eyes in warning. Their apprehension at divulging the information he required to calm his nerves was ebbing away at his patience. Even as Anderson shook his head solemnly, he refused to acknowledge that anything could have happened to her. Shepard was indestructible. There weren't any odds she couldn't overcome. She would have saved whomever she could and got out of there with barely a scratch.

"The Commander didn't make it," Anderson told him. His voice was stonewalled but the dead look in his eyes told a different story. The man had been relatively close to Shepard, acting as her father figure throughout her career in the Alliance military. The news would have hit him hard, but as a hardened military man, he wasn't inclined to show it. "Joker was the last to see her alive. If you want to know more I suggest you speak with him."

Garrus stared at the man in disbelief. What he was telling him couldn't be true. She must still be out there, maybe in another pod-

"Now on to the matter of your mentor," the salarian Councilor interjected. "Since Commander Shepard can no longer fill this role, you will be required to select another if you wish to continue your Spectre evaluation."

Garrus barely heard the salarian, the Councilor's voice fading into the background of the turmoil that clouded his mind.

"Councilor, I don't really think this is the time—" Anderson objected.

"Nonsense, Councilor. It is the reality of the situation. Every Spectre candidate requires a mentor to carry out the evaluation."

The asari Councilor stared directly at the salarian and shook her head, indicating that she too believed this wasn't the time.

"Where is her body?" Garrus blurted out. When he felt all eyes stare at him blankly, he continued. "Her body. I have to see it."

"That won't be possible," Anderson told him. "Her body is missing. Probably burned up in the atmosphere of Alchera."

"How do you know that? If you didn't find her she could still be floating around out there! Are you telling me you won't send your people back out there to find her?"

"It's not possible that she survived. Even by now she would have run out of oxygen," Anderson bowed his head solemnly. "I'm sorry."

"What about the pods? Are you sure they're all accounted for?" Garrus pressed.

"We all feel Shepard's loss. She was a hero," the asari said. "But now that the threat is over we must continue on and rebuild what she helped save."

"The threat is _not _over!" Garrus shouted, eyes narrowing. "The Reapers—"

"The Reapers," the salarian Councilor interrupted, "are a myth. You would do well to remember that."

"Then how would you explain that ship that attacked the Citadel?"

"Saren and the geth attacked the Citadel, not a _ship_. A _ship _does not act on its own. I will not listen to any more talk of the late Commander's obscure visions," the salarian said dismissively.

Garrus's eyes burned with an intense fury. His gaze focused on Anderson who remained silent. He had no doubts that he human Councilor believed Shepard's claims, however his unassertive stance wasn't helping Garrus's current state. "Shepard risked everything to save the Citadel, and you turn your backs on her as if it all meant nothing. If this is how you treat your heroes, then I want no part of it!" He hunched in anger, turning his back to the Councilors and storming out of the office in a rush. He needed to get out of there. He couldn't think clearly. Every thought that came forth was shrouded in bitter anguish. Barely dodging a working keeper, he quickly made his way outside to the Presidium.

The Presidium grounds no longer had the park-like feel it had before the attack. Much of the lighting was not yet repaired, so the area remained dim. The blue "sky" above was now a grey metal that loomed overhead. The holograph, having been damaged in the attack, was not yet operable. Debris was still littered throughout the area where pieces of the architecture had broken off due to the various explosions brought upon by the geth. Various keepers skittered along the area, hard at work with repairs while Citadel workers, in an attempt to avoid disturbing the creatures, made repairs elsewhere. However, all of this faded into the background as Garrus's thoughts fixated on the pale haired Spectre he had come to care for. If she was really dead then everything he had been working toward these last few weeks had become meaningless. Without her, none of it mattered anymore. He wasn't certain what he would do or where he would go, nor did he really care. He felt empty. He stopped when he heard a commotion near the now blocked-off entrance to C-Sec.

"You're a coward," the familiar gruff voice accused. When Garrus turned he could see the krogan, Wrex looming over another figure. A human. Kaidan. "I kill cowards."

Kaidan glared at the krogan, arms crossed over his chest. "What's your problem, Wrex?"

"Because of you, Shepard is dead," Wrex growled angrily, pointing his finger in the other man's face. Kaidan's complexion reddened in anger at Wrex's accusation, but he held his ground, a dangerous thing to do before an angry krogan.

Garrus thought about ignoring the situation altogether, because truthfully, he just wasn't in the mood to deal with any of it. However, if Shepard were here, she would immediately intervene, controlling the situation with her persuasive words and authoritative air. She would have wanted him to do the same. And that's just what he did.

"Is there a problem?" Garrus demanded, drawing the attention of the other two males.

"No problem," Wrex grunted, turning to face him. "Just about to teach this human about what happens to cowards."

Garrus turned his avian eyes towards Kaidan, who scowled at the krogan's disrespect. "Don't worry about it, Garrus. It's nothing I can't handle."

"Is that so? Why don't we test those words? You're no Shepard. You don't stand a chance!" Wrex spat.

"Will you two stop!" Garrus snapped. "The last thing Shepard would have wanted was for her team to turn on one another."

Wrex slumped a bit, his crimson eyes locked on Garrus searchingly. "So you know?"

"The Council told me." Stealing a glance at Kaidan, he could visibly see a fraction of the anguish the man had felt. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were glossy with moisture, two obvious human signs of grief. Turning his attention back to Wrex, it was clear that the krogan couldn't bear to look him in the eye. He shifted his bulk uncomfortably, his expression transitioning from murderous rage to discomfort. Her death had affected them all in ways that would remain unspoken.

For a while, three friends of a lost hero stood in deafening silence before finally parting ways, the one tie they had to one another, broken.

* * *

><p>Valern sat alone in the darkness. Datapads and various other items were scattered over the floor of his office, some in shattered pieces. Deep gouges from desperate claws scarred the surface of his desk. His surroundings were a harsh result of his grief and rage. She was gone and he felt at fault. He had agreed that she should be the one to eradicate the geth. They were all aware of the disappearance of the vessels around Alchera. But he couldn't have known it would result in this… She was Shepard. She was supposed to be indestructible.<p>

His talons drove into the arms of his chair, tearing through the delicate garjanx leather, a rare product of his homeworld of Palaven and one that could not easily be replaced. But his thoughts were only with her. A nearly inaudible howl escaped him as he remembered the last night he had spent with her and his reaction to her dismissal of him. He could vividly remember how much it had hurt and angered him. His frustrations had caused him to lash out at her. She, a human, had brought out the best and the worst in him. What he wouldn't give, now, to tell her so.

**Please stay tuned for Chapter 1 (where the real fun begins) :)**


	2. Alive in Darkness

"Shepard, the Illusive Man would like to speak with you," the dark-haired Cerberus operative, Miranda, informed her. Her snide, matter-of-fact tone, struck a nerve in the Commander. So far, she wasn't at all impressed by the woman, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. Miranda Lawson was most certainly attractive, and didn't seem to hide the fact that she knew it. While Shepard was typically a supporter of confidence, she wasn't a fan of self-righteous attitudes like the one this woman presented. She was the type of person at whom people would normally gawk… until she opened her mouth. The fact that this woman was also in charge of the Lazarus Project, which was created for the sole purpose of bringing Shepard back from the dead, also irked her. While she should have been a slight bit grateful for having a second chance at life, she wasn't. She had accepted death when it had come; found peace in it. And now that was taken away. There was no peace in being a corpse returned to life, in a body that felt unfamiliar. Two years she had been dead and so much had likely changed in that span of time. She had quickly discovered that her entire team had split upon hearing of her death. Neither Miranda nor Jacob, the Alliance-soldier-turned-Cerberus-Op, could tell her how to locate them. Though at this point, she wasn't even certain if she wanted to. She had briefly met up with Tali while investigating the human colony Freedom's Progress, shortly after her revival. While she seemed both surprised and happy to see Shepard alive, there was a slight distance that had developed between them. It could have possibly been that the quarian was distracted by her mission, but in her current state of mind she felt uncertain. How would the others react to her, knowing that she had once been a charred corpse? Would they be happy to have her returned to life? Or would they feel resentment or disgust? She couldn't be sure. Shoving these thoughts to the back of her mind for now, Shepard made her way to the room where she would meet with the Illusive Man via holo. She wanted to get this over with so that she could get out of her armor and be unbothered for the remainder of the day. Ever since she had woken from her two year "sleep", she had been drug around without rest. Her body, unused to extreme physical activity after two years, ached. Parts of her body that still bared the scars from her reconstruction, felt tingly and slightly numb from the unhealed nerves.

"Shepard," the Illusive Man said, breaking her from her thoughts. "Good work on Freedom's Progress. The quarians forwarded their findings from Veetor's debriefing. We are still analyzing it, but it should prove to be quite useful. But more importantly, you were able to confirm that the Collectors are behind the human disappearances."

Shepard crossed her arms over her chest in impatience. She didn't need a re-telling of what she already knew. "Just tell me what you want me to do next."

"Head to Omega and find a salarian scientist by the name of Mordin Solus. Our intelligence suggests that he may know how to counter-act the Collector's paralyzing Seeker swarms."

"Omega. Got it."

"One more thing," he interjected before she had a chance to break away from the meeting. "I have found a pilot I think you might like. I hear he's one of the best. Someone you can trust." Before she could respond he switched off the holo meeting and her surroundings faded back to reveal her physical location.

"Hey Commander. Just like old times huh?" a familiar voice said behind her.

She turned to find Jeff "Joker" Moreau, looking back at her, his usual goofy grin present on his unshaven face. "Joker!" She smiled back at him despite the strange prickly feeling erupting from the scars on her face. "You have no idea how good it is to see a familiar face."

"Tell me about it! I mean, I saw you get spaced and all..."

"I got lucky I guess," she mumbled through clenched teeth. It would take some time before she considered her resurrection to be more than just a sick joke played by a terrorist organization.

Joker lowered his head slightly, clearly feeling the weight of what had occurred on the Normandy. "Look Commander, I—"

"It wasn't your fault, Joker. It was something I would have done again, given the chance. Of course, maybe I next time I'll hull my ass a little faster," she commented with a grin. The grin faded when her hand reached up to adjust the metal chain that hung at her neck. Several times since waking she had attempted the same action, achieving the same result of coming up empty-handed. She was certain the metal would have survived the atmosphere. So why did she no longer have it in her possession? She's certain it would have still been on her body when they obtained it. It was something she would have to gruel the Cerberus bitch about later.

"Hey Commander," Joker interrupted. "I think there's something you'll want to see."

She nodded, falling into step beside him as he led her through the twists and turns of metal-plated hallways. "So what happened with everyone?" she asked him as they headed for a destination unknown to her.

"It all fell apart without you, Commander. Everyone went their separate ways after hearing about what happened."

"What about Garrus? Did he ever become a Spectre?" She didn't mean to be so obvious of her concern for the turian, but it was a thought that had been nagging at her since she got over the initial shock of being revived.

Joker halted for a moment, turning to look her in the eyes. "No one knows what happened to Garrus. One day he just disappeared. No contact. Nothing."

"Ah." Her heart fell at the news. As ridiculous as it sounded she had hoped more than anything that the turian would be eagerly waiting for her return. And of course it was ridiculous. No one had anticipated her to come back from the dead. Even as they continued on through the hallways, her mind continued to dwell on it. Why would he give up on the Spectres? Was it not something he truly wanted? Was it something that only she wanted for him; guilted him into? If so, perhaps he was now doing something he actually wanted for himself. Nevertheless, she silently hoped he was alright.

"Anyway, the Council has been a mess ever since you were gone," Joker continued as they walked through some sort of viewing room. "From what I heard, the salarian Councilor pretty much runs the show. Councilor Anderson doesn't seem to have much pull as of yet. Nobody seems to see much of the turian Councilor anymore, and the asari Councilor seems to divert to the salarian."

"That's strange," she replied, uncertain of how else to respond to such an observation.

Joker shrugged. "Maybe you just need to show up and stir things up a bit. Mention the 'Reapers'," he said while air-quoting the word, a mocking jab at the turian Councilor. "They love that one."

She chuckled. "And how did you end up here?"

"Ever since you disappeared, the Alliance has had me grounded. They took away the one thing that mattered to me. Cerberus, on the other hand, offered me the chance to fly again. So here I am," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

He led her to stand before one of the wide viewing windows. Looking out, all she could see was a dark empty launch bay. "So you really trust the Illusive Man?"

"I don't trust anyone that makes more than I do. But they aren't all bad. They saved your life. Let me fly." He paused, a pleased smile crossing over his lips as he peered through the window. "And then there's this."

She followed his gaze out the wide window, searching for something she couldn't yet see. She nearly doubled over as the lights in the bay slowly flickered on and the familiar nose of a ship slowly rolled into view. As the shiny vessel moved forward, the lights revealing the remainder of the ship, Shepard stifled a gasp. It was the Normandy, brought back to life as she had been. It had a shiny new paint job, much like her rebuilt flesh. She couldn't help but wonder if everything underneath had been upgraded as well, much like the new cybernetics that often glowed through her healing scars.

"It's good to be home, huh Commander?" Joker said when the ship was in full view, a smile in his voice.

As she stood, staring at the vessel that had once died with her, her eyes shimmered with bittersweet remembrance. "I guess we should give her a name."

* * *

><p>Shepard stared blankly at the attractive, unblemished reflection staring back at her through the mirror. She had taken comfort in the idea of finally getting a shower, especially in the confines of her own private bathroom. Her comfort had quickly turned to rage the moment she had removed her clothes and took note of the differences in her body. The soft, nearly perfect new skin was not how she had remembered it, and it disturbed her. All of the scars that had once mapped her life were gone, replaced with unfamiliar glowing new flesh and healing scars from her reconstruction. Her hand smoothed idly over her unmarked stomach, remembering the large gash that had once been present there as a result from a night of passion with Nihlus. Her other hand moved up to brush the unfamiliar locks of long pale hair from her shoulder. Her fingers ran over area where once had resided the mark of Saren's commitment to her. Even the marked-up flesh from her trials on Akuze had been replaced a new, foreign skin. It was if all those pieces of her, all those events that shaped her life, had been washed away like freshly smoothed sand after a tide. It was a haunting reminder of everything she had lost and could not get back. The realization filled her with a resentment that she couldn't restrain. Blinded by her rage, she barely felt the pain as mirrored glass shattered under her closed fist. She rested her forehead against the shattered glass, staring into empty green eyes; eyes that had once boiled and swelled within her skull. A flash of a charred and blackened face gazed back at her and she could feel her stomach lurch. She quickly turned away from the broken image of herself in the fragmented mirror for fear of what else she would see there. Slinking into the open shower she switched it on, ignoring the sting of the hot water as it washed away the blood that covered her hand.<p>

* * *

><p>As Shepard exited the bathroom, wrapped in an unusually soft towel, she was greeted by the new Normandy's AI, EDI. "Shepard. Would you like me to request that a replacement mirror be installed at your earliest convenience?"<p>

"No," she responded, quickly dismissing the concerns of the AI. She moved towards the sizable bed and threw herself facedown upon its plush surface. Under normal circumstances she would have been pleased with her luxurious living quarters. However, under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have had luxurious living quarters to begin with. Sighing she rolled onto her back and stared up at the skylight that revealed a section of the expansive universe. She could faintly remember the sensation of peace she felt in her final moments of being spaced. Even as she died in the vast emptiness, she didn't feel as nearly alone as she did now.

"Like it or not, I'll have to get use to this new life," she said aloud, gazing up into the star-dusted blackness. It took her a few moments to realize there was something more behind those final two words. When the realization finally hit her, she sat up straight. She was given a _new life_ and was no longer under Alliance regulations nor the Council's scrutiny. Aside from the Illusive Man's direction and Miranda's bitching, she was free to do whatever she wanted, however she wanted, so long as she didn't lose sight of the main goal. This was _her_ ship and _her_ crew. Things were going to be done_ her_ way. No more tip-toeing around for the benefit of the Council and the Alliance. Besides, what did she have to lose? Her life? She laughed silently to herself. If that were the case, Cerberus would likely only bring her back again. She was, and would continue to be, a large investment for them. Even if she passed before the Collectors could be stopped, they would still need her to resolve the Reaper threat. And if not… well, it's not like it would truly matter at that point, would it? Perhaps being among those that she didn't trust could have its advantages. Besides, what did they care as long as she got the job done? She would give them just enough so their investment wasn't wasted. Beginning to feel much more positive about her present situation, she quickly dressed in a long tunic and snug leggings and headed for the CIC.

* * *

><p>"Greetings Commander!" As Kelly, her yeoman greeted her cheerfully. Several members of the crew turned to shoot Shepard admiring glances. That was going to take some getting used to. Not that she shouldn't be used to the attention by now. She was an attractive woman with an impressive service record. She suspected that being the Hero of the Citadel who had been brought back from the dead, would also contribute to the attraction of attention. However, as a trained Infiltrator, the increasing notice she was receiving made her uncomfortable. Her training had taught her the importance of being inconspicuous. But ever since Akuze, she had become a name of importance within the Alliance. Her Spectre status had gained her familiarity with the more important denizens of the Citadel. And her heroics during the attack on the Citadel had made her a household name, her face indiscriminately plastered everywhere. Just another thing to which she would need to adapt.<p>

"Hello Kelly," Shepard responded, ignoring the remaining stares.

"You're looking much better this evening!" the yeoman exclaimed. "I imagine you are pleased with your living quarters?"

Shepard nodded. "They are rather substantial."

Kelly grinned with genuine delight. "Oh, I almost forgot! You have new messages on your private terminal," she said, pointing towards the computer to the left of the galaxy map.

"Thanks Kelly," Shepard responded, wondering who could possibly be contacting her so soon after her revival. As she navigated to her unread messages she saw only one staring back at her. Sender: David Anderson. The context of the message expressed the dire need for her to meet him and the other Council members at the Citadel. According to the message he wanted to convince the others to reinstate her Spectre status. Even though she was currently working with Cerberus, he understood that she was working to put a stop to the disappearances of the human colonists. This was good news. If she could be reinstated as a Spectre, she could have access to many more resources.

"Joker, redirect our route to the Citadel," she ordered.

"_Aye aye, Commander_," he responded over the comm system.

It didn't take long for Miranda to show up, chin turned up to demonstrate a seemingly practiced superior attitude. Despite her striking stature, little to none of the crew bothered to look in her direction. "Commander, what do you think you are doing?" she demanded venomously.

"Taking charge of my ship. What are _you_ doing?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"We should be heading towards Omega. Why did you change our course?"

Shepard shrugged dismissively. "Because I have important business at the Citadel."

"I'm sure whatever business you have at the Citadel can wait. I want you to turn this ship back on our previous course," Miranda demanded.

Shepard smirked at the woman's flushed cheeks. "EDI."

"Yes, Commander?" the AI responded.

"Who is the CO of this ship?" Shepard asked, eyes unwavering from the other woman.

"You are, Commander," EDI replied.

"And who is my XO?"

"Miranda Lawson."

"Right. I think we're done here," she sneered, turning her back on the dark-haired woman. Though the majority of the crew kept their heads down, the amused smirks on their faces were clearly visible from where she had stood.

* * *

><p>As the Normandy docked at the Citadel the next morning, Shepard dismissed the crew on shore leave for the remainder of the day, despite her XO's objections. Shepard saw absolutely no need to confine the crew to the ship while she would most likely be spending the better part of the day on the Citadel.<p>

Upon her entry to the Citadel, Shepard was treated quite well, much to her surprise. The human C-Sec officer, Captain Bailey, basically greeted her with open arms, treating her "deceased" status as a mistake in the system. This error, he quickly corrected, and allowed her to proceed unhindered. The Citadel was very different from what she remembered, the majority seemingly rebuilt since the attack. In a way she missed the old layout, however the new was vastly improved.

After taking the transport to the Presidium she immediately took note of the amazing restoration of the area since she had last seen it. All the debris had been cleared, leaving no trace there had ever been a devastating attack. The lakes had been returned to their familiar crystal-clear condition rather than the cloudy consistency she had remembered. Peering up at the sky, she was happy to see that the hologram had been repaired, returning the Presidium to its atmospheric state. On her way to Anderson's office she could see that much of the buildings had been repaired as well. Several keepers were still dotted around the area, perfecting the work that had been done. The building, containing the Councilor offices, was once again pristine. It was clear that the keepers had made a few changes to the architecture during the reconstruction, but the overall layout was the same as she had remembered. Keying herself into the door, it slid open to reveal Anderson and the holos of the other Councilors, seemingly awaiting her arrival.

"Shepard!" the human Councilor exclaimed. "We were just talking about you."

She smiled, taking the Councilor's outstretched hand. "It's been a long time Anderson. I hope the last few years have treated you right."

"There have been some rough spots. But it's good to have you back."

"We have heard many rumors surrounding your unexpected return. Some of them are… unsettling," the salarian Councilor interrupted.

She turned to face the three holos, studying each one individually. The salarian studied her suspiciously. She had never met the salarian Councilor on a personal level, and she doubt that would have affected his assessment. Being a salarian, he was a cognitive thinker and placed his judgments on reasoning and the evidence presented to him. Next she looked to the asari Councilor, whose expression was a mix of both concern and doubt. Tevos had been a rather valuable ally during her search for Saren and, if not for Shepard's disappearance, they might even have become friends at some point. However, reappearing after two years of absence and working with a human terrorist organization could most certainly cause one to question your loyalties. Next assessment was the turian Councilor, Valern, with whom she had several unusual experiences. Turian expressions were generally difficult for humans to read, his in particularly. Since she had entered the room, he never took his avian eyes from her, and as she studied him, their gazes locked. His mandibles were clenched tightly against his face and she couldn't tell if it was due to nervousness or something else. However, under her scrutinizing stare, he remained stiff and unmoving like a statue.

"We called this meeting so you could explain your actions, Shepard. I, for one, do not believe that you would work for a terrorist organization like Cerberus without a good enough reason," Tevos explained.

"I don't work _for _Cerberus. I am merely utilizing their resources to investigate the disappearance of the human colonies in the Terminus Systems," she explained. "My service record should explain my actions well enough." She shot a quick glance at Valern, who remained stone-faced and silent.

"We are happy to hear that, Shepard," the asari said.

"We have spoken with Councilor Anderson on the matter, and though we cannot become involved in the investigation itself, we would like to offer you the reinstatement of your Spectre status, to show our support of you personally," the salarian informed her.

"Please understand that this is a show of good faith on your personal behalf. Please don't make us regret our decision," Tevos warned.

Shepard nodded. "I accept your offer."

"Good luck with your investigation, Shepard. We hope for a quick resolution… and a quick end to your relationship with Cerberus," Tevos told her.

Valern opened his mouth as if he had something to add, but quickly stopped himself, mandibles clenching tightly against his face once again before the three holos disappeared.

Once alone, Shepard turned toward her old military mentor and friend. She was anxious to speak with him about everything that had happened since she had died. Perhaps he would be able to tell her more about what had happened with her old team.

"I know that look, Shepard," Anderson declared. "You want information."

"You know me all too well," she said with a knowing smile.


	3. Reprieve and Liberation

**Thank you to everyone who commented and favorited. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Shepard could have gone anywhere else on the Presidium. She could have even, to Miranda's satisfaction, returned to her ship earlier than expected. She wasn't certain why she found herself walking in the direction of Valern's office, of all people. He hadn't requested a meeting with her, nor had he sent her any correspondence after the confrontation in Anderson's office. She was curious as to why he hadn't spoken a word during her meeting with the Councilors. As someone so outspoken, his silence was completely unexpected. It ate at her. She would have preferred he say _anything_. Even rude accusations would have been more welcome than the haunting silence and blank stare she had received.

As she made her way down the hallway she could clearly see the familiar faces of the two turians who acted as the Councilor's guards. They nodded as she approached, recognition shining in their avian eyes. "Well if it isn't Commander Shepard!" Drik said with a grin.

"We heard you were dead," Algan chimed in, amazement in his voice.

Shepard smiled. "I get that a lot."

"I know it's none of my business, but things haven't been the same since you've been gone," Drik said in a hushed voice, flicking silver eyes toward the door.

She raised an eyebrow curiously. "What do you mean?"

Drik shook his head. "Like I said it's none of my business."

"Just be mindful that your disappearance may have affected some more than others," Algan interjected, his mandibles clacking nervously.

Now she wasn't certain she had made the right choice in coming here. What if the Councilor wasn't ready to see her? What if he truly didn't trust her and believed her to be working as a terrorist? Should she be prepared for a fight? Suddenly, the door slid open to reveal the dim office, causing her stomach to churn nervously. Nodding to the guards, she stepped inside, the door swishing shut behind her.

* * *

><p>The only light that filled the room filtered in from the large window behind Valern's desk. As he stared blankly at his datapad he was unaware of another presence in the room until he heard her clear her throat. His gaze shot upward, intense green eyes searching the human's features as if trying to decide if the person he saw before him was real or merely a figment.<p>

"Shepard…" he rasped, getting up from his chair. His eyes never left her. "I didn't think you would come here."

Crossing her arms, she shot him a sarcastic smirk, remembering all the times he had _expected_ her. "Is that so?"

He allowed a chuckle to escape before his expression turned serious again. "It is probably not wise that you be here."

She shrugged questionably. "Why?"

"It has been a long time, Shepard. And it was just recently that I had found out about your reappearance." he said, his words followed by a deep growl. "I am afraid that I may not have much self-control at this point." He stiffened as she moved towards his desk, her increasing proximity igniting his primal desires. She had been with turians enough to be familiar with their temperaments and urges regarding the absence of a lover or mate. However, he doubted she either understood or would admit the extent of his feelings for her in that manner.

"You do realize that I was dead?" she asked, unsure if he truly understood the complexity surrounding her disappearance and unexpected return. It seemed, from her abrupt statement, that she was almost challenging him; challenging him to change his opinion of her after knowing what she was. But he already knew, all too well. He was also very aware of Cerberus's plans when they had sought her body. However, he never thought that it would be possible to bring her back. Yet here she was.

He nodded in response. "That _is_ what I have heard," he said, coming around to meet her on the other side of the desk. "But from what I can see, you are very much alive."

He was standing very close now, only inches away and looming over her smaller stature. She unsuccessfully repressed a flinch when he raised a clawed hand to stroke through her long hair. As a pale lock slipped from his hand he allowed his palm to graze her glowing scarred cheek. "Minor differences aside, Shepard, you are still the same." He leaned his head down to nuzzle the nape of her neck, taking in the scent that he had spent two years longing for. His rough tongue darted from his mouth to stroke against her smooth skin. He could feel her body shiver in reaction. Wanting more he began working at the straps of her armor, allowing his tongue a wider range of access. "Tell me to stop, Shepard. Before this goes too far," he breathed against her heated flesh.

"I'm not sure I want you to," she murmured breathily, yearning and lust taking charge of her words. She pressed her body against his, a challenge to his feral tendencies. He growled in response, finding it increasingly more difficult to control himself. He wanted to take her roughly and violently. He wanted to feel her soft flesh yield to the grip of his claws.

He could feel her fingers beginning to work magic under his fringe and he half-growled, half-purred in response. She was enticing him and she knew it. For a human, she was rather well versed in the anatomy of turians. And she knew perfectly well what her actions were doing to him. Taking in the knowledge that she wanted him, he wasn't going to hold back.

With his impatient assistance, she quickly stripped out of her armor and immediately took to relieving him of his stately clothes. He ripped his claws through her underwear, letting the shredded garment fall carelessly to the floor. Finally released of his restraints, he pressed himself against her exposed body, making sure she was very aware of his need for her. He could feel his stiff arousal throbbing against her warm flesh. She responded by pressing her mouth to his, her tongue demanding to be met with his own. Pressing his rough tongue into her mouth hungrily, his taloned hands slid up her taut body to push her bra above her breasts. Being as mindful as possible of his claws around such a delicate area, he pressed his palms against them. He reveled in the sound of her quickening breath as he brushed his hands over her peaked flesh. She groaned as his tongue left her mouth to caress along her collarbone, leaving a cool trail of moisture. His right hand abandoned her breast to brush tenderly against her sex, drawing a heady whine from her mouth. The pads of his fingers stroked from her slit to her nub. She trembled against his touch, her heavy breathing turning into pleasured gasps.

"Valern…" Shepard breathed his name, her usual strong voice lost to the fetters of arousal.

Her utterance of his name surprised him. For the first time during any of their passionate encounters, Valern felt that she was truly acknowledging _him_. The sound of his name traveling on her voice caused any remaining self-control to dissipate. Gripping her hips, he lifted her onto the desk and pushed her legs apart. As she lowered herself onto the surface he could see her eyes glance at the long, three-clawed gouge in the desktop curiously. Eager to deter her attention from the imperfection, he kneeled before her and gently slid his tongue over the most sensitive part of her. The low, pleasured moan that escaped her indicated that he had been successful in diverting her interest. He flicked his tongue over her seemingly receptive flesh, paying special attention to the nub that made her quiver with each stroke. Despite his actions being so foreign, it was strangely arousing. Due to several obvious reasons, turians were not particularly adept at performing oral pleasure the way humans were. But much to his satisfaction, she seemed to be enjoying it quite well. To test this new experience further, he slowly slipped his tongue into her slit and gradually explored her from the inside. Her hands grappled at the edges of the desk in an attempt to steady herself. As he thrust his tongue in further, she gasped and arched her back in obvious enjoyment. The taste of her was much different than he ever would have imagined. She was sweet and almost tart, even to turian tastes. She reminded him of some of the more exotic fruits of Palaven; those that were only enjoyed by the more wealthy clan leaders. Desiring more of her intoxicating juices, he gripped her thighs tightly in his claws while his tongue continued to explore her nether reaches. Mimicking the rhythm that his hardened member would be making in moments, he slid in and out of her quickly, causing her moans and gasps to become almost desperate.

"You should – stop," she advised between heady pants.

Ignoring her warning he continued to move his tongue within her more forcefully, until she finally met her release in a fit of gasps and moans. Satisfied that she had reached the end of her climax, he stood, planting himself firmly between her legs. Clutching her hips in his clawed hands, he entered her swiftly, his body shuddering as he sheathed himself in her warmth. Her position on the desk allowed him full view of her body and reactions as he moved inside her. She writhed beneath him, her ecstasy made clearly evident. He could feel his neck growing hot and flushed as his arousal reached new heights with every forceful thrust. As he grew closer to release the room began to spin and he was forced to close his eyes in order to maintain his increasing rhythm. His guttural growl mixed with her cries of pleasure echoed through the room as she contracted around him, bringing him to an intense, spasming climax. Steadying himself atop of her, he struggled to stable his exhausted gasping breath. Unable to hold himself up any longer he collapsed. Her softness enveloped him, somewhat alleviating his spinning vision as he rested against her. And before he could stop himself, he accepted the darkness of sleep.

* * *

><p>Drik and Algan held post outside of the med-clinic door to ensure that no one could gain entry while the Councilor was being treated. Shepard, despite her urge to make her escape before Valern awoke, never left the med-clinic. With her body fluids being the cause of his allergic reaction, she felt responsible and therefore, obligated to stay. While her affections for the Councilor had most certainly changed, she still didn't want her presence to seem like it had meant more than it did. Since her return, he had been the only one from her past to show her any personal warmth. It had moved her more than she felt it should have, but not enough to succumb to foolish disillusions. She had no intentions of ever allowing their sexual relationship to become any more than purely physical.<p>

When he finally stirred, she felt her heart jump in her chest. "Doctor, he's waking."

The Doctor Michel carelessly left the several vials through which she had been rummaging, to grab a narrow turian drinking cup. Scampering over to Shepard's side, she handed it to her. "It's water. Make sure he drinks it," she ordered before rushing back to her med cache.

"Shepard," Valern acknowledged her groggily. "Why am I in a clinic?"

"You had a uh… reaction," she said hesitantly. "Here." She handed him the narrow cup and waited while he drank.

He grinned up at her, a slight twinkle in his green avian eyes. "I'm surprised you stayed."

She shook her head and returned the grin. "Don't get any wild ideas. I felt responsible."

He shrugged. "You did try to warn me. I take full responsibility of my actions."

"Remember that for next time."

"Next time?" His grin grew wider, exposing many sharp teeth.

She felt a blush rise up in her cheeks as the doctor appeared at her side again. "I will need to take your temperature, Councilor," Doctor Michel stated, a thermometer in her outstretched hand.

"I am not certain now is a good time for that, Doctor," Valern hissed.

"Nonsense," she assured, slipping the instrument under his tongue. After about a minute, she removed the thermometer and smiled. "Looks like your temperature is back to normal turian levels," the doctor informed him.

"Ah good. Now can I leave?" he questioned impatiently.

"Of course. I'll be right back with your medications," she said, making her way to the back of the room. The human doctor was scurrying back, bag in hand, just as Valern had raised himself to his feet. "Directions are in the bag. There are two medications. One you must take twice a day for three days and the other is a precautionary measure for… future encounters. You don't want to end up in the clinic again," she said, shooting a glance at Shepard.

Shepard shifted nervously. "I suppose I should head back to my ship," she said, avoiding the woman's eyes.

Valern nodded affirmatively. "I'll walk you out."

As the two turned to leave, she heard the doctor call out from behind her. "Commander. Have you heard from Garrus?"

A low, jealous growl emanated from the Councilor at the mention of the other turian's name, but he didn't say a word. "I haven't," Shepard replied plainly, barely turning to look back.

"Well if you do, please let him know that I'd love to hear from him," the doctor requested. "I never had a chance to thank him for saving me." Shepard allowed the doctor a shallow nod before leaving the clinic. She wasn't sure what irritated her more, the fact that the doctor was excited of the possibility of hearing from Garrus or the fact that the woman felt the need to mention her missing companion and short-time lover, and in total disregard of Shepard's feelings on the matter of his disappearance.

When they stepped out into the hallway Valern received a few knowing glances from his guards, causing him to puff up like a bird trying to impress. Shepard shook her head in amusement. No matter the species, males were always the same when under the scrutiny of other males, especially when there was a female involved. Anxious to avoid any of the uncomfortable conversation that would follow, she uttered a quick farewell and made her leave.

* * *

><p>Shepard hulled ass onto the Normandy, knowing she had wasted more time than was deemed necessary. They would need to head for Omega shortly to gather the salarian scientist. Despite the detour, she had gotten what she came for… and more. Meeting with the Council so soon after her revival seemed to be in her best interests, proving that she was not the traitor they had feared. She had regained a fraction of their trust and, "as a show of good faith", use of their resources. It was very likely that she would require all the help she could get. As she stepped in from the airlock, her stomach churned. Waiting impatiently for her return was the calculating face of Miranda.<p>

"Glad you could make it back, Commander," Miranda commented sourly. "What kept you?"

"None of your business," Shepard responded, avoiding the woman's cold stare. She turned away and moved toward the CIC, Miranda adamantly on her heels.

"Shepard, you are no longer permitted to go anywhere without either I or Jacob accompanying you," Miranda demanded. "You are still required to be under evaluation."

Shepard spun around to face the woman, a scowl creasing her face. "Is that so?"

Miranda crossed her arms and nodded in affirmation.

"Well maybe next time I find myself about to fuck a turian, I'll bring you two along. I do love a good audience," she sneered. The look of surprise and irritation that fell over the operative's face made her grin. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to prepare for our departure."

* * *

><p>Garrus sat alone in his perch, height and sniper rifle his only protection from the hoards of mercs. Very soon, those two things would fail and with them would come the fall of Archangel. They were drawing nearer, more than he would be able to hold off on his own. But it didn't matter anymore. Everything that mattered to him was gone. Those whom had sworn to follow and look up to him as their leader were now dead; as was the woman whom had changed his entire world. All of them… gone. At one time, death had frightened him. Two years ago that had changed. He tried to remember her before she died. The sound of her voice. Her scent. But it was gone. Each day he was surrounded by the noise of gunshots and the dying. Those sounds along with the smells of rotting bodies and heavy smoke made her increasingly more difficult to remember. When did the memories start fading? What did she look like? Her hair. Her eyes. Her smile. He could still remember those things. But it would only be a matter of time before they left him as well.<p>

The dreaded high-pitched hum of a gunship engine stirred him from his dark thoughts. When the sound had begun to echo through the room he knew this was the end of his road. He turned to peer out the wide open window of his stronghold. The ominous, heavily armed machine rose up from the depths of Omega's slums to stare Archangel in the face. The roar of heavy artillery filled his head and intense pain coursed over the left side of his body. Garrus staggered before collapsing in a pool of deep blue blood. From the corner of his eye he could see the gunship descend back into the hell from which it came. It was over. Archangel had been defeated.

As he lay on the cold hard floor peering up at the empty ceiling, his mind was finally clear. The pain had numbed. Drawing in a staggering breath he could almost smell her scent again. He ripped off the glove of his right hand before it disappeared into the top of his armor. As it resurfaced he brought with it a metal chain that hung around his neck. At the end, dangled three metal pieces, one of which read the name "Shepard". It was the only thing he had that continued to bring him peace in this unrelenting nightmare; the only thing that pushed him forward. Despite witnessing the deaths of his entire team, he pressed on. It was just as _she_ would have done. As he examined the dulled metal, somewhat warped on the edges from its decent through Alchera's atmosphere, he thought about the moment Liara handed him the recovered trinket. Her words two years ago had clung to him.

"_Keep this for the next time you see her,"_ she said, a glimmer of hope in her wide, pale blue eyes. At the time he assumed it was only the asari's wishful thinking; hopes of seeing her again in some type of afterlife. As she folded the cool metal into his hand, she had given him a knowing smile. Now that he recalled the moment, he had seen something more than merely hope in her eyes. A secret that she wouldn't divulge. He wondered if Liara knew something – a reason for him to carry on a little longer.

With a large, indrawn breath Garrus hoisted himself up, ignoring the flashes of pain that accompanied his movements. He heard them coming – ascending the stairs to collect their trophy. The pain had become barely tolerable, but there was something else that drove him on. A new source of hope. And he wouldn't stop until he found it.

As the hoard of mercs, clad in all three colors of blue, yellow, and red, finally broke through the door to Archangel's perch they had found it empty of life. Several bodies littered the blood-soaked floor. Most had been there for days, even weeks. However, there was no sign of the wayward vigilante.

* * *

><p>Gripping the cool metal that warmed under hands she lifted herself up, touching her chin to it, and then released her body downward. Repeating this movement several times on the chin-up bar proved to be quite the stress reliever. Up. <em>I. <em>Down. _Hate_. Up. _That_. Down. _Woman_. Resting her feet to the floor, she grabbed a towel to wipe away the sweat that glistened over her brow. It felt good to have a place to release some tension. Having an actual gym on board was quite the luxury. Cerberus apparently spared no expense.

"Shepard," a voice greeted from behind her. "It's good to finally have an exercise partner."

She turned to glare at the man that approached. _Can't I take two steps without these people bothering me. _"I was just leaving," she bit out.

"Suit yourself," Jacob responded, boarding one of the two treadmills.

She rolled her eyes and threw down her towel. He certainly did have a way of making her feel like an ass. Walking onto the adjoining treadmill, she adjusted it to meet his pace, ignoring his knowing glance. Like Miranda, he had a good idea of how Shepard would typically react to most situations. However, unlike Miranda, he didn't seem intent on trying to piss her off.

They ran for a while before Jacob decided to break the silence. "Don't let Miranda get to you, Shepard," he told her, his voice unphased by the heavy pace of the treadmill.

"Is she like that to everyone? Or am I a special case?"

Jacob chuckled slightly. "For the most part, she is."

"For the most part?" she asked with a scowl.

"I think Miranda is a bit jealous of you. Everyone on this ship holds high admiration for you. Miranda can try, but she will never gain that much respect from the crew."

Shepard scoffed. "Maybe if she spent less time being a bitch—"

"She's not that bad," Jacob interrupted. "She has her moments."

Shepard stopped the treadmill and stepped off, picking up her towel once again. "Sounds like you know that _personally_," she commented.

"Maybe," he responded simply. He, in turn, switched off his machine and slowly came to a stop. Grabbing a towel he blotted the sweat that glistened on his dark skin. She couldn't help but notice the way his black tank top clung to his sculpted body. Her eyes didn't linger as to not attract unwanted attention. However, from the sidelong glance he had given her, it appeared that she had already been caught. "Whatever Miranda and I had ended a long time ago," he added.

Taking the hint to his words, Shepard shot him a smirk. "I think you've been misinformed, Jacob," she said, almost teasingly. "Just so happens I'm into aliens."

"So I've heard," he responded with a shrug. "Just throwing it out there."

"Noted," she replied simply.

"Good talking with you, Shepard." Jacob gave her a quick nod before taking his leave to the upper level.

* * *

><p>Omega was like a rat hole, home to all types criminals and vagrants. It fell out of the regulations of Citadel space, its rules dictated by whoever held the most power and respect. An asari by the name of Aria T'Loak currently held that honor. Shepard knew it would be in her best interest to be on the asari's good side… for now. She needed information and Aria was most likely the one person who knew everything that went on in Omega. If Mordin Solus was indeed here, she should know where to find him.<p>

Getting in to meet with Aria was virtually a cake-walk. The simple mention of Shepard's name permitted her immediate access to Aria's private balcony overlooking Afterlife, Omega's renowned club. Upon ascending to the upper level Shepard instantly recognized the asari for what she was, a powerful and highly influential pirate queen surrounded by those who both respected and feared her. As the Commander approached the asari regarded her with a mixture of interest and caution. If anything, this meeting should prove to be rather interesting.

* * *

><p>Aria's intel proved to be correct regarding Mordin Solus's location. Hidden deep within the bowels of Omega rested the clinic which housed the salarian as well as both sick and healthy refugees of all races. Most refugees were those who had refused to leave their homes when the plague had broken out within the residential slums. The Blue Suns mercenaries had taken it into their own hands to quell the spreading of the plague. Their means of doing so? Murder. Rather than wait for the cure the salarian scientist had been researching, many who may have had a chance of surviving were cut down before ever reaching the clinic. She supposed the salarian would request her help in some way before being convinced to join her squad. From what she had heard of Mordin, he wasn't likely to abandon his patients. And that was just the type of dedication she needed.<p>

As she approached the salarian, he halted the conversation he had been having with a human man, perceptively his assistant, and turned to her with a sniff of acknowledgement. "Are you Mordin?" Shepard asked, already knowing the answer.

"Affirmative," he responded taking a quick moment to study the three humans. "Humans. Well armed. Mercenaries? No. Not hostile. Not ill." He sniffed. "Interesting."

"My name is Verra Shepard. I'm on a mission with Cerberus to stop the Collectors who are behind the disappearance of missing human colonists. I want you on my team."

"Commander Verra Shepard. Spectre. Hero of the Citadel. Last known status: Deceased. Yet you are here and requesting my help. Fascinating. Would like to know more later." He paused a moment to sniff through his nostrils again. "Missing colonists you say? Collectors behind the disappearances? This is curious."

"The Collectors have swarms of Seekers that paralyze their prey. We need you to find a way around them," she explained.

"Ah yes. Seekers. I have heard of these but have never seen one in person. Would be fascinating research. Honored to help. When do we leave?"

Shepard raised a brow at him curiously. "That's it? What about your patients?"

"Already taken care of. Nothing more I can do. Turian delivered cure through environmental control center. Assistant Daniel can take care of the rest."

"Turian?" she asked, knitting her brows.

"Known as Archangel in Omega. Injured. Came seeking my help. Contracted plague by coming here. Offered to help eradicate vorcha guarding environmental controls and distribute cure to slums. Also rescued assistant. Very helpful." He took a quick inward breath.

"Wasn't Archangel the one killing the mercs? Last I heard every merc band in Omega stormed his stronghold and killed him."

"Not killed. Escaped. Though took some damage. Heavy scarring. Surprised he survived."

"Hmm. Heroic and extremely resilient? Sounds like someone I want on my team. Any clue where he went?"

"Unsure. Didn't ask. Doubtful he would stay on Omega. Too dangerous."

"Damn," Shepard muttered. "Well if you're ready, we should head out. We have a lab set up for you on the Normandy."

"Fantastic! Looking forward to it. Working with Cerberus will be very interesting." He sniffed. "Meet you there. Must make preparations."

* * *

><p>"Shepard," Aria greeted, remaining seated on her wrap-around couch. "Just the woman I want to see."<p>

"That makes me nervous Aria. Is it business or pleasure?" Shepard asked with a leer.

The asari met her with a devilish look. "No harm in mixing the two, is there?" She motioned for Shepard to have a seat. When the other woman was finally seated, she continued. "Unfortunately there is a rather serious matter that I need your help with."

"Oh?" Shepard eyed her suspiciously.

"My intel has informed me that there is an assassination plot against me," Aria explained plainly.

"What's this got to do with me?"

"I need you to track down the assassin and stop him." She shot the Commander a wicked grin. "I'd prefer it if you killed him, but not until after you make him reveal who hired him."

Shepard leaned back against the couch, folding her arms over her chest. "Please enlighten me on _why_ I should help you."

Aria's expression scrunched into a scowl. "Because if you don't, and I die, the little bit of order that exists on Omega will be thrown into chaos. There will be no one in charge to keep the merc groups at bay and this place will become a hub for human slave trade." Lowering her voice, she leaned in closer to the other woman. "I know about the Collectors, Shepard. I have it on good authority that the Blue Suns had been trading humans to them some time ago. I can ensure that doesn't happen on Omega."

Shepard could tell from the asari's body language that she was telling the truth. The idea of mercs capturing humans to hand over to the Collectors, sickened her. At this point they had no idea what they were doing with the humans they had taken, but it was almost guaranteed that it wasn't good. She couldn't argue with Aria's reasoning. At least with her remaining in charge, there wouldn't be too many surprises. "Okay, you win. Who am I looking for?"

"Talk to Grizz, he should be able to tell you if he's seen anything, or _anyone_ unusual," she said leaning her back against the couch again.

Shepard stood and gave the asari a quick nod before departing from the private balcony. Grizz, Aria's turian guard, was waiting in his usual spot at the bottom of the stairway. He nodded to Shepard as she approached.

"So I take it Aria convinced you to take the job, did she?" Grizz commented with a grin.

"Just tell me what you know," she said evenly.

"Straight to the point. I like that." He leaned in close to reduce the chances of being overheard. "As of yesterday, I've been noticing a drell in the area. As you probably have noticed, we don't get too many of their kind around here."

"You think that's significant?"

"It might be," he replied with a shrug. "The timing is convenient enough. I believe he's been gathering some information on Omega's hierarchy, but other than that he doesn't seem to speak to anyone. Keeps a low profile. And like you, he doesn't appear to be much like the usual space trash that wanders into Omega."

"No other suspects?"

"No one that stands out. Most of the people I see are either the usual Omega slum crawlers or mercs and pirates."

"I guess I'll start with the drell," she decided. "Any idea where I can find him?"

She followed the turian's gaze toward a corner of Afterlife a distance away from the dance floor, where the lighting was dim and the crowd sparse. There, at a table alone, sat a reptilian humanoid intently observing the club as if his sole purpose was for anything else but entertainment. The drink that sat before him was clear, possibly water to keep the senses clear while not appearing entirely out of place. If this was indeed the assassin, she needed a plan of approach. Good assassins were like good infiltrators; clever and could never be too cautious.


	4. To Trap an Assassin

**I thankfully got over a bout of writers block for this story. Here's the resulting chapter...**

The drell glanced in Shepard's direction as she approached. His expression was unreadable as his large dark eyes examined her.

"Mind if I have a seat?" she asked, cocking her hip to the side, her loose tactical pants and tank top parting to reveal a slight amount of flesh.

"By all means," the drell replied in a deep, almost calming stoic voice.

She took a seat across from him, eyeing him up with mock interest. "So what's a drell like you doing in a garbage heap like Omega?" she asked, leaning back in her chair casually.

"I'm here on business," he allowed, leaning forward on his forearms and lacing his fingers.

She leaned forward as well, meeting his gaze with a curious, expression on her face. "Oh? What kind of business?" I would be much too easy if he revealed everything so soon, so she wasn't holding her breath.

"I would prefer not to discuss it," he responded simply.

She leaned back in her seat again and shrugged, her curiosity appearing dispersed. "Suit yourself," she replied uncaringly. It was the response she had expected of course and there was no sense in pushing the issue. An asari waitress sauntered up to their table and glanced at Shepard expectantly. "Bring me something hard." She shot a quick glance at the drell. "Make that two." The waitress gave Shepard a little wink before taking off to fill their order.

"Might I ask…" the drell started. "Why are you visiting Omega?"

She peered at him skeptically. "How do you know I don't live here?"

"Most of those who reside here are typically broken souls with no future. If you were a pirate or a mercenary, I see no reason why you would be sitting here speaking with me as they generally remain within their own company. You also don't appear to have the mannerisms of one such as them."

_Hmm. This guy is quite observant. The perfect quality for a hitman,_ she thought with interest.

When the waitress set their glasses before them, Shepard took note of the way the drell glanced at his with hesitation. "Not going to drink?" she asked scooping up her glass and taking a hefty gulp of the strong liquid.

"Bring me another," she said to the waitress. "This one won't last long." She wanted to reassure him that she was merely here to seek company and not lower his boundaries. Alcohol was a fantastic truth serum, and he wouldn't have any idea of her body's extreme tolerance for it.

He lifted the glass to his lips, with an extraordinary grace, and sipped at the liquid. His precision with so simple of an action sent a chill up her spine and she couldn't help but allow her eyes to linger a bit longer than necessary. He had seemingly taken note of this as a pleased smile crossed his mouth.

By the time she had downed the second drink, Shepard was already feeling buzzed and overheated by the alcohol coursing through her veins. Her thoughts were quickly becoming muddled and her vision blurry. Something wasn't right. The drell hadn't slipped anything into her drink as she was certain to watch him carefully. But there was absolutely no way two drinks would have made her this messed up. Unless… She felt sick at the sudden reminder that she was no longer in the body she was accustomed to. She no longer had the same tolerances she once had, and that included alcohol. _Fuck! _She cursed at herself. _Well that was a stupid idea._ With a frustrated groan her forehead hit the table with a light thud.

"Are you alright?" the drell asked, placing a hand on her forearm that had rested across the table before her.

She raised her head slightly to peer at his hand. It was surprisingly smooth and cool against her heated skin. "I'm fine," she slurred.

"We should get you to a place where you can rest. This place would be rather unsafe for a woman in your state," he insisted. "Do you have a place to stay?" When she shook her head he stood and delicately took her hand. "Then you will stay at my place."

She nodded faintly in agreement, not daring to show how pleased she currently was with herself. Perhaps there was still a chance to extract the information she needed from this man. She was still with it enough to manipulate the situation to meet her needs.

After insisting that she could walk on her own, she followed the drell to a rather secluded section of Omega. It was surprisingly cleaner than most of what she had seen and there were no vagrants loitering about. This particular area was most likely set aside for the more wealthy visitors of this trash heap. And no one in Omega questioned those with enough credits.

The room into which he led her was rather spacious and well-kept. There were no personal items visible within the room so he apparently had no intention of making it a lengthy stay. Every item within the room appeared untouched, which wouldn't be uncommon for a trained assassin. The less evidence of their presence, the better.

"You may rest here," he told her in his deep, throaty voice. He motioned toward the seemingly unused bed. "I'll be back later."

She stared at him skeptically. "Where are you going?"

"I have some business to take care of," he replied briskly.

Her heart thudded in her chest as her anxiety heightened. She couldn't allow him to leave, not when she was so close. She couldn't allow him to follow through with this job. Aria was a bitch, but she was the only bitch fit enough to keep what little order there was in Omega. She swiftly laced her fingers into his, finding a little bit of unease in sliding them around the two that were fused. She could see the hesitation in his features at her intimate action. "You could stay," she hummed, giving him an alcoholic-induced smile.

"I'm afraid I cannot," he said, his expression stony as he regarded her with dark eyes.

_Shit. Don't let him escape. _Thinking quickly, she pressed herself flush against him. Being so close now, she was able to catch his scent. It was fresh and calming like an ocean breeze mingled with exotic spices. For a moment it nearly overwhelmed her. Forcing herself to remember the reason she was in this position, she ran her fingers gently over his frills. The texture was interestingly soft but she was unsure of how the sensation was affecting him, so she trailed them downward, along his neck. His skin was amazingly smooth and not at all scaly as she originally thought. She heard him draw in a breath and hold it, causing her to wonder if it was working.

"I don't want to be alone," she murmured, lightly pressing her lips against his jaw line.

He grabbed her hand in his and held it away, escaping her touch. She backed away slightly to study his expression. Despite his reaction she saw intensity in his gaze. Examining his dark eyes, she attempted to discern his next move. Suddenly, he moved like a viper, quick and unpredictable. His surprisingly soft lips pressed hungrily against hers. He gripped her hand tightly as his mouth held her captive. As she felt his wet tongue push past her lips they began to tingle slightly. The feeling was strangely erotic. A part of her wanted to pull away but the other part was shamelessly enjoying the sensation. Soon that same feeling began to course through her body causing her to feel slightly weak and dizzy. This, mixed with her unplanned intoxication was almost too much to bear and her world spun into darkness.

* * *

><p>She woke with a start, her clouded vision attempting to quickly take in her surroundings. She wasn't sure how long she had been out, but it couldn't have been more than an hour. Her heart beat quickly and unevenly as she remembered her last moments of consciousness. She touched her lips, remembering the feeling of him lingering there. Her lips still tingled and the faint taste of spices remained. <em>Poison? <em>She couldn't be sure, and there was no time to figure it out. She was awake now and had to find him fast. He was obviously onto her and wouldn't waste anymore time finishing the job. She just hoped she wasn't too late. Jumping from the bed, she sprinted from the room to pursue her quarry.

* * *

><p>It was late and Afterlife was even fuller than it had been when she left. Her still dizzied eyes scanned the club searchingly, but to no avail. There were too many people and her mind was still clouded with the remains of alcohol and… whatever that was. She moved up to the bar and leaned into the turian bartender who stood there. "Have you seen a drell?" she shouted over the noise.<p>

He motioned to a corner of the room where the drell sat, once again, alone. Leaning against the bar she watched the drell closely. He appeared somewhat different; more distracted than before. It was difficult to tell in the reddened lighting of the club, but his coloring also appeared different from what she remembered. He did, however, wear the same leathers. She concluded the ability to alter their color was most likely a drell-thing. She stiffened when she suddenly saw him move. He stood with the same ease and grace that she remembered during their short meeting, and left just as quickly. His exit was so smooth and swift that it had barely processed in her mind. He headed toward the hallway that led to the other section of Afterlife. So she followed, keeping enough distance to refrain from being noticed. She pursued him down the length of the hallway before he stopped and, reaching up toward the ceiling, moved aside a vent grating. With the ease of flowing water, he lifted himself and slid carefully into the vents. She did, however, notice his first mistake. He failed to replace the grate behind him. Not a typical move for an experienced hitman. Perhaps he wasn't as good as she thought.

She followed, slipping into the grate with almost as much ease as he. It had been a while since she regularly infiltrated facilities through their ventilation systems. However, despite that and the differences in her body, it had almost come as second nature. The vent was rather small – even for her – and very stifling. In spite of the discomfort, she crawled ahead, attempting to make as less noise as possible. That was, until she felt something grip tightly around her ankle and pull her backwards, flipping her onto her back. She repressed a cry of surprise as a heavy body moved over her and a cool hand covered her mouth.

"Be calm," a deep stoic voice whispered in her ear.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the voice of the drell. The scent of ocean breeze and sweet spices filled her senses. She spun her head to look him in the face. Even though it was rather dark, she was able to make out some of his features with the help of her enhanced eyesight. It was him alright. _Two drells? Then who the fuck was I just following? Shit, you are never drinking again,_ she scolded herself.

"There is no time to explain, but I need to stop him," he said softly.

Moving his had from her mouth she made a face, wondering how clearly he could see it in the dimness of the vent. "I'm going too."

"Fine," he said flatly. "At this time, it is senseless to argue."

Despite his apparently dense weight, he moved over her with the ease of a cat, slipping ahead of her through the small space. Grumbling to herself, she followed close behind. She wasn't certain what was going on, but she would find out very soon. If this particular drell was not the assassin, that meant the one she had seen enter the vent was. The longer they crawled the enclosed space, the more she became anxious that they would be too late. She had to reach Aria before the true killer did.

Suddenly the drell before her came to a stop above a dimly lighted opening with the grate already removed. Without a word he removed a pistol from his side and dropped through the hole. She immediately followed suite, drawing the pistol she had hidden in the pocket of her tactical pants. Peering about at her surroundings, she found that they were in a finely decorated sitting room. _These must be Aria's quarters_, she surmised.

She heard a scuffle and a _click_, like a gun being drawn, echo from another room. She and the drell took no time to contemplate the situation when they both charged toward the door ahead. They burst into the room, guns ready to face whatever lied ahead. Shepard nearly gasped when the scene came into view. The drell, light blue in color, was on his knees. Before him, stood a smug asari pirate queen, a heavy pistol held tightly in her grasp and aimed toward his reptilian head.

"Shepard," she said with amusement in her voice. "Glad you could make it."

She raised an eyebrow at the asari curiously. "Well, looks like you didn't need my help after all."

Aria smirked, glancing from the other woman to green-hued drell. "Turns out, the assassin wasn't who I expected," she admitted, glancing at the green drell.

Shepard crossed her arms. "You and me both."

The drell beside her lowered his head in disappointment. "Kolyat… why are you doing this?" he asked the other.

The blue drell, seemingly Kolyat, peered up at him furiously. "Why do you think, _father_? I'm following in your footsteps," he spat.

Aria lowered her gun slightly, looking from one drell to the other with interest. "_This_ is your _son_?"

He nodded, wordlessly answering her question. "This isn't how your mother would have wanted it," he muttered, his deep voice laced with sorrow.

"What do you care? You abandoned us long ago!" Kolyat growled spitefully.

"I understand your anger Kolyat…" he trailed off, feeling obvious shame. "I wasn't there when they killed your mother. Though, I should have been."

The blue drell glared up at his father with contempt. "Then why didn't you come back?"

"I left to seek out her killers. It had taken a while to find them all, but eventually I had given them painful deaths. When I came back, you were already grown. I knew you wouldn't accept me reentering into your life after so long."

Kolyat paused, shaking his head as if he didn't want to believe what he was hearing. He wanted to hate his father; wanted to continue to blame him for every hardship that had plagued their family. But to know that his father didn't truly abandon him as he had thought, threatened to dilute the poison that flowed through him all these years. "So why are you here now?"

"I'm dying, Kolyat," the drell said, his voice calm and seemingly at peace with his fate.

Shepard curiously watched over the exchange between father and son. Hearing this man admit his doomed fate with no thread of fear in his voice, reminded her of her own death and how it changed her. It caused her to wonder if both experiencing your own death and waiting for it desensitized you to it.

"So, what? You've come to make up for everything now so you can die in peace or something?" Kolyat accused venomously. He gasped in surprise when the side of a heavy pistol smashed against his face. He peered up at the asari in shock.

"One thing you need to learn, _kid_, is that parents aren't immune to making mistakes. Your father is obviously here to stop you from making the same ones before he dies. You're both lucky to still have that chance. Don't waste it," she snarled with a slightly shaken voice. She lowered her gun and stepped back, giving the Kolyat room to stand.

The younger drell rose to his feet and approached his father. They stood before one another, many emotions stirring in their features. Shepard was surprised to see, that despite their species' many reptilian aspects, they had the ability to form tears. "We'll talk more on the way to the Citadel. I have some contacts there," the older drell told his son.

"I'll have some of my men take you there," Aria stated.

"It's not necessary," the drell assured her.

"If you want your son to make it there alive you'll take me up on my offer. Those mercs aren't going to take too kindly to him when they find out he failed the job."

"You make a good point," he replied.

"Meet my men out by the docking station. You'll want to be way ahead of those mercs."

"Thank you both," he said, giving both women a graceful bow before ushering his son from the room.

"Wait," Shepard called out. "Who are you?"

He turned, a slight smile on his stoic face. "Thane Krios. And I already know who you are, Commander Shepard. I hope we meet again." Before she could respond, he spun on his heels and disappeared from the room.

Shepard stood stunned for a few moments before turning to face the asari. "You surprise me, Aria. I can't believe you let them go like that."

"Krios has the opportunity to change his child's life before it's too late. I missed my chance long ago," she said sadly. After a few moments of silence the sorrow and regret fell from her features. "Well, Shepard, it's been fun."

"That's an understatement," Shepard muttered.

After a moment, Aria winked at her suggestively. "Well, Shepard, unless you plan on staying the night... you should probably get back to your ship."

* * *

><p>Shepard emerged from the elevator, groggy from restless sleep. Even after all the action on Omega, she was only able to get, at most, two hours of rest. She was looking forward to a nice steaming cup of tea, but duty always came first. So, she decided to stop by the CIC before retreating to the mess to indulge in the finer things in life.<p>

"Commander, the Illusive Man would like to speak with you," Kelly said cheerfully when she stepped from the elevator.

Shepard repressed a disappointed groan. _Was my report not enough for that chain-smoking alcoholic?_ she thought bitterly. She dreaded meeting with him. Each time he desired an audience with her meant there was another mission to add to her list. Grumbling miserably, she made her way to the briefing room and into the holo-scanner.

"Shepard," the Illusive Man greeted her, taking a puff from his cigarette. "I'm glad that you were able to recruit the doctor so easily."

"I doubt you've called me here for a pat on the back." She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for him to continue.

"Indeed. In your report you mentioned a drell assassin, Thane Krios. His skill is highly renowned and he would be a great asset to our cause. I suggest you recruit him."

She hated to admit it, but he was right. She had to recruit the most skilled individuals if they were going to succeed. And if this guy was as skilled as people say, he may be a significant addition to the team. After what she had experienced on Omega though, she was both hesitant to ask that of him as well as doubtful that he would be willing. She wasn't certain of the details, but Krios had mentioned that he was dying. Not only that, but he had just been reunited with his son after many years. Now was obviously not the most opportune time. "I can't guarantee his cooperation," she admitted

"I am confident in your persuasive abilities, Shepard. Go to the Citadel. Talk to him. Make him see that our cause is for the good of the galaxy."

"Fine, but I can't promise anything," she said before dispersing back to the Normandy briefing room.

"How'd it go?" Miranda asked, looming behind her.

Shepard narrowed her eyes at the dark-haired woman. She wasn't fond of the operative's constant hovering. It unnerved her greatly. "We're going back to the Citadel," she said flatly, pushing past her to head for the CIC.


	5. Into the Fade

**I apologize for the looong delay in updating. Just been finding it challenging to write it as of late. I have no desire to abandon the story as I'd like to see it have an actual ending.**

**And yes, the name of the chapter is a little play off of Dragon Age. :)**

* * *

><p>"Commander!" the grey-haired C-Sec Captain greeted her.<p>

"Captain Bailey," she replied with a nod of her head. "How goes it?"

"Ah you know... same old crap, different day. What brings you back to the Citadel?"

"I'm looking for someone. Maybe you can help," she told him.

"If they're here, I'm sure I've seen them," the older man stated proudly in his gruff voice. "Who are you looking for?"

"A green male drell. He would have been accompanied by another male drell, somewhat blue in color. Know anyone who fits that description?"

"Actually, yes. They docked here just the other day. Krios, I think was the name." Bailey narrowed his eyes, lowering his voice to just above a whisper. "Is there something I should know about these two, Commander?"

"Not at all," she assured him

He studied her expression for a few moments before continuing in a low voice. "Just a tip… you want to find your drell, talk to Mouse."

"How would he know where Krios is?"

"Mouse has assisted Krios in the past, though I'd rather not disclose the details," he added quickly.

Shepard shrugged. She didn't really care to hear them anyway. All she cared to know was his location. "Okay, how do I find him?"

"There's a turian C-Sec officer in the Dark Star. Lorak is his name. He should be able to tell you where Mouse is."

"Thanks, Captain."

"Anything for you, Commander," he replied, leaning back in his chair. "Good luck."

* * *

><p>The hallway was dim and the lights flickered ominously within the bowels of the Zakera Ward. The bodies of mercs and LOKI mechs littered their path. The wounds of the dead were made by precise marks, requiring an average of only one shot from a skilled hand to end all life functions. Mouse was right, he was definitely here. Suddenly she heard a scuffle from behind her. Before she even turned, she knew the assassin was upon them. Miranda attempted to release a muffled scream, but the green, scaled hand pressed hard against her mouth, blocking the sound. Using her as a shield, he oscillated his heavy pistol between the other two humans.<p>

"Why are you here, Commander?" Thane questioned, his voice ever so calm.

Sheathing her gun, she held up open hands as a sign of truce. Jacob reluctantly followed suit. "I'm only here to seek your help in my mission. I need someone like you on my team."

"My help?" he questioned, releasing Miranda from his hold. She plunged forward to stand beside her two comrades, a scowl on her face. "I'm intrigued. But, I apologize. Now is not the time."

"I know you're looking for Fade. However, what I don't know, is why you would kill his guards."

He stared at her, somewhat surprised that she knew as much as she did. "This isn't my work."

"Then who?" the woman pressed.

"At this time, I am uncertain. But I can only assume they are not seeking any _peaceful _business with Fade."

"That's for sure," Shepard muttered.

"If you don't mind, I must return to my search," Thane said humbly.

"If I help you find Fade, will you join my team?"

"So long as Fade is alive, you have my word."

"And if he's not?"

"Then I will need to find another means of protecting my son."

* * *

><p>The way to Fade was completely clear of obstacles. The bodies that littered the floors of each room were a sure sign that whoever was hunting Fade was a good deal ahead of them. Even as they approached the last door, Shepard silently hoped Fade was still alive, or else they were wasting time here.<p>

"Wait Shepard," Thane ordered in a hushed voice. "Be prepared. I believe our adversary is in this next room."

She nodded, motioning for the others to be on their guard. When the door had opened, sure enough, someone was kneeling within, peering out a large panoramic window that overlooked a large storage room. As they aimed their guns at his back, Shepard pushed forward ahead of the rest.

"Stand down!" Shepard ordered in an authoritative voice.

* * *

><p>He froze as the sound of that voice filled his ears. It was strong and commanding as he remembered. The scent invaded his nostrils like that of a vivid memory that he longed to relive. It was different from how he remembered tough, if only slightly, and it caused his heart to ache. For a moment he would have thought it was her. But she was dead. Hopes of seeing her face wherever he went, plagued him on a regular basis. He was almost certain this was no different.<p>

"Turn around slowly," she ordered.

He was afraid to follow that order; to find it wasn't her after all. Silently, he cursed himself. _Why do you keep doing this to yourself? Why wish for the impossible? Now turn around before she shoots you in the back of your skull._ Steadying his nerves, he slowly turned to face his pursuers. A flash of pale hair instantly caught his attention. It was longer than he remembered, the illuminating strands hanging just below her shoulders like beams of sunlight. Flashing green eyes glared at him searchingly as he slowly rose to his feet. A name hung on his tongue that was almost too painful to form into words. When he managed to finally utter it, it sounded nearly alien to him. "Shepard."

She gasped when he spoke her name, her expression fading to shock. Lowering her weapon to her side, she took a step forward. "Garrus?"

When he reached up to remove his helmet, he could hear the other humans' grips tighten around their weapons, preparing to shoot if necessary. As the helmet came off, stormy blue eyes met light green, lingering for a time as if no one else in the room was present.

"So, I take it you know one another?" the drell flanking her left, interrupted.

"We do," Shepard replied with a smile, not tearing her eyes from the turian.

"Shepard…" Garrus choked out again, when the initial shock had dissipated. "I can't believe it's you. You were—"

"Dead," she finished bluntly. "Cerberus brought me back." She blurted the statement as if it was as ordinary and unexciting as cleaning her gun.

_Did she say Cerberus? The human terrorist organization? _That was a surprising revelation. But for now, it didn't matter. She was here and she was alive. Anything beyond that, he could find out later. Right now he just wanted to touch her, to know she was real.

She stood frozen and rigid as he approached her, unknowing of his intentions. She wondered if her mention of Cerberus was ill-timed. Would their long-awaited meeting suddenly become hostile? Did he now distrust her? A myriad of dark possibilities swam in her mind. But, all those thoughts quickly disappeared when he suddenly enveloped her in his arms, drawing her into a tight embrace. Loosening the grip on her gun, it _clanked_ to the floor, cutting through the unnerving silence. Allowing herself to relax, she leaned against his chest, taking in the warmth and familiarity of him.

He held onto her tightly, almost as if he was afraid to let go; afraid that she might fade away like a distant memory. When he finally released her, he was relieved to see that she remained.

"Shepard," a deep, throaty voice interrupted. "Do not forget why we are here."

The Commander glanced back at the drell, giving him a short nod before returning her attention to Garrus. "What are you doing here anyway, Garrus?" she questioned him.

He straightened at her sudden change in tone. "I'm here for information."

"And you thought that killing Fade's guards was the way to do it?"

"There wasn't enough time for pleasantries, Shepard. Besides, Fade's job is to make people disappear. Revealing them would be bad for business. I need to show him that _not_ revealing them would be bad for his health," he stated, waving his gun before him.

"Who are you looking for?" she asked skeptically.

"His name is Sidonis. Not long ago, I led a small group of vigilantes. He was one of them." Garrus paused as the bitter memories came flooding back. "He betrayed us. Everyone on my team died."

"So he contracted Fade to make him 'disappear', and now you want to fish him out, correct?"

Garrus nodded. "He's a traitor. And I'm going to make sure I'm the last person he betrays."

She remembered back to the time when she had killed Dr. Saleon in his stead. He had been angry with her. But back then, he was new to her world; a world of violence and death. Now, when she looked upon him, she saw some of herself. She saw someone who was familiar with a deadly lifestyle; someone who had lost many people and was willing to kill in their honor. "Okay, Garrus. Whatever you decide to do with Sidonis, I won't try to stop you."

"Thank you, Shepard."

"But I can't let you harm Fade," she cut in.

He gazed at her in shock. "Why?"

"I have business with him," Thane interjected.

Garrus's avian eyes switched to the drell and, within the same moment, raised his gun. "Fade is a criminal. What business do you have with _him_?"

Thane, remaining calm despite the barrel being aimed between his eyes, lowered his head. "Mercenaries are hunting my son. I need him to… 'disappear' for a while."

"I see…" Garrus replied, lowering his heavy pistol. "Fine. I'll play it your way, Shepard." Unwilling to waste anymore time, he turned and made for the door to the large storage room, followed by the Commander and her team. When they entered, the packed space was fairly quiet. Then a loud voice sounded off over the intercom.

"Turn around now. This is your first and final warning," the man said.

"We just want to talk!" The Commander's voice rose up over the towering stacks of wares.

"Talk?" An sarcastic laugh fell out over the intercom. "Let me show you how I _talk_."

"I know that voice…" Garrus growled, trying to pinpoint to whom it belonged. Whoever it was filled him with an uncontrollable fury. Suddenly the image of a balding human male, a former C-Sec officer with no regard for the law, popped into his mind. _Harkin!_

"You okay?" Shepard asked, noticing the way his facial features twisted in rage.

"Fine," the turian responded.

"Good. Cause we've got company!" Shepard shouted as several LOKI mechs began to close in on their position.

Their path was finally cleared, nothing but scrap metal littering the floor and crates in their wake. When they finally reached the foreman's box, Garrus suddenly halted when his avian eyes took in the sight of the human before him. "Harkin!" he snarled.

Shepard gasped unbelievingly as he uttered the name. She quickly peered around Garrus to face the man they had been seeking.

"Stay back!" Harkin shouted, aiming a pistol at the group.

Garrus growled and charged at the man before his shaking hands could react. The turian's heavy armored fist impacted with his face and he dropped to his knees in pain, his gun sliding across the floor toward Shepard. "Garrus," Harkin muttered in a strained voice. "What brings you here?"

"You helped someone disappear. A turian named Lantar Sidonis. I want you to tell me where he is," Garrus demanded.

Harkin rose to his feet, glaring hard at the turian. "Why should I tell you anything?"

The man suddenly hunched over in pain when Garrus's knee collided with his stomach. He was prepared to meet him with another blow when Shepard stepped in, outstretching her arm over Garrus's chest to stop him. "Stop it, Garrus."

"Ah, Commander," Harkin managed. "I heard you were dead."

"You heard wrong," she replied coldly. "I'd like to keep this civil. Do what Garrus asks and nobody gets hurt."

The man thought for a few moments, regarding the deadly glare in the turian's predatory eyes. No client was worth this. "Fine," he finally mumbled. "But only because _you_ asked nicely." The man straightened and hobbled to a communication terminal. After explaining to the client on the other end that his identity may be compromised, he was able to confirm a meeting time and place.

"It's done," Harkin told them when he hobbled back. "He'll be at the Orbital Lounge at noon."

"Good," Garrus replied in a deadly voice.

Harkin, believing that their business was complete, turned to leave. He was caught off-guard as talons gripped into his shirt, pulling him back. "Where do you think you're going?" Garrus growled, turning the man around to look into furious blue-grey eyes.

"I've done as you asked," he replied, fear evident in his voice.

"You're not going anywhere, _Harkin_. I've been waiting a long time to give you what you deserve."

The man gasped as something solid and blunt pressed into his gut. A pleased grin crossed over Garrus's face as he held the gun against the criminal's midsection. He needed this. As a C-Sec officer, he was never able to get past all the red tape; never able to prosecute people the way they deserved. Now he was free to do what was needed.

"Garrus," an almost soothing female voice urged. "Put the gun down."

He ignored it. He wasn't going to allow these opportunities to slip through his hands anymore. His finger pressed on the trigger slowly, taking enjoyment from every fearful twitch from the man on the other end of his barrel. Just as he was about to apply the final amount of pressure it would take to end the man's life, his arm was forcefully yanked from its target. The sudden movement was all it took to complete the applied pressure and the heavy pistol went off with a single _bang_. With the sound ringing in his ears before he'd expected, it was a few moments before he was able to take in his surroundings. Horror struck him when he finally realized what had happened, and he carelessly dropped the man to the floor.

Shepard stood before him, gripping her stomach as deep red liquid began to pour between her fingers. She stared down at it in shock, unsure of how to react to seeing that much blood leaving her own body. She couldn't tell if the wound was vital, but judging from the amount of blood, it wasn't good.

The drell and two humans rushed forward to catch her before she fell while Garrus looked on in disbelief. He failed her. In his attempt to be like the Spectre he admired, he failed her. It left him with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Shouting voices were muffled in his head as he stood frozen in shock. She was here. After two years she was _finally _here, and now he killed her. He shook his head, forcing himself to snap out of his miasma. Sprinting forward, he knelt by her side. She was still alive… for now.

Shepard's vision was blurred and was fading quickly. All she could make out were the shadows that surrounded her; supporting her. Her body felt cold and numb. Shapes and shadows played before her hooded eyes like phantasms. "Don't leave me again, Shepard!" was the last thing she heard before her world faded to black.

* * *

><p>The lights blared from above, shining in her eyes like ominous beacons. Her vision was blurry as it attempted to adjust to the blinding lights overhead. Her body ached, specifically within her lower abdomen. She vividly recalled the deep red blood that poured from her wound and just the sheer thought caused the area to throb in pain. Nausea swept over her when she was struck by an unpleasant feeling of déjà vu. Laying upon the cool hard surface, surrounded by bright lights and the odor of disinfectant, triggered something within her. It was a fear she didn't want to admit; the fear of dying… and of another two years lost. She suddenly remembered the events of her last resurrection; of the attack on the facility. Her heart thumped in her chest and she quickly sat up, nerves catching up with the thoughts in her mind. Confusion set in as her eyes probed every corner of the room and she took in the familiarities. She was in the med bay of the Normandy, not a Cerberus laboratory as she had thought.<p>

"Shepard."

She turned her head to find stormy blue eyes peering at her worriedly. _Garrus_.

"You shouldn't be sitting up," he scolded, lightly pressing on her shoulder to urge her back down.

Her body protested, refusing to obey his urging. And that's when the pain shot through her abdomen… and it damn near took her breath away. This finally convinced her to lie back down on the medical bed. Her eyes widened as something slid off her chest and clanked against the metal siding of the surface. Her heart jumped as she took the object in her hands, realizing that it was hooked to her neck by a chain. Two alien insignias dangled from the edge of the chain, glinting in the bright light of the room. Two names stood out in the etchings of the metal. "Nihlus". "Saren". Dampness clouded her eyesight upon realizing what they were.

"I uh… thought you might like those back," Garrus mumbled in an almost embarrassed tone.

"Garrus…" she started. "If it didn't hurt so fucking bad to move right now, I'd hug you."

A large grin swept over his face. "I'll take a rain check, then."

"How did you get them?"

"Liara found them after you died. She gave them to me for safekeeping."

A bittersweet smile crossed over her lips and her eyes shined with a damp glossiness.

Despite her apparent joy, he couldn't help but feel disheartened. Because of him, he had nearly lost her again. "Shepard... There are really no words for how sorry I am that this happened."

She turned her attention from the insignias, her green eyes regarding him. She wasn't certain how to respond. His actions weren't _okay_, so assuring him of such would be an obvious lie. So she decided to probe him for the reasons of his actions, instead. "Tell me about this… Sidonis."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter now. I've put it behind me."

"Just like that?" The tone in his voice alone was enough to know he wasn't being entirely truthful.

Garrus clenched his teeth together tightly, his anger bubbling up deep inside; anger at both himself and Sidonis. "My thirst for revenge almost got you killed, Shepard. Nothing is worth that."

"Revenge doesn't often end well, Garrus. If you want it, you must be willing to make sacrifices."

"I know…" he muttered.

"We have some pretty hefty obstacles coming our way. If you plan on staying and fighting with me, I need you clear-minded," she said bluntly. "Decide what you need to do about Sidonis so we can move on with the mission."

He was silent for a few minutes, pondering how he could respond. He wanted to tell her he was sated; that he wouldn't have Sidonis's betrayal nagging at his mind. But he couldn't answer now… not truthfully. "I'll let you know. For now, I think you should rest." He briefly laid his hand to rest on her arm before turning to leave the med bay.


	6. Fighting Demons

**Sorry it's been so long since I released another chapter, but I truely thank everyone who recently commented! It really gave me incentive to write this. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p>They wove a path through the busy market of Illium, and though Shepard's wound wasn't completely healed, she was determinately leading the way with Garrus and Miranda struggling to keep up. She was anxious to see Liara, the timid and gentle asari, of whom she had grown quite fond before the Normandy's destruction. Liara, now an information broker, had requested a meeting with the recently resurrected commander. Though she didn't give specifics, she seemed genuinely disturbed by the latest intel she had received.<p>

Just as they ascended the stairs to Liara's office, they were welcomed by a different asari who was seemingly anticipating their arrival. "Greetings, Commander. Liara is expecting you," she said pleasantly motioning for the squad to proceed to the office entrance.

As the door to Liara's office slid open, they found the asari in the middle of a holo conversation. "Have you faced an asari commando unit before? Few humans have." She paused briefly as the man in the holo fidgeted nervously. "I'll make this simple. Either you pay me, or I'll flay you alive… with my mind." Her tone was dangerous and deadly. Not at all like the Liara Shepard once remembered.

The man nodded wordlessly and the holo cut out. It had taken a moment for Liara to realize that she had company. When she realized it was her old friend, her whole demeanor changed. "Shepard!" Her tone altered drastically, sounding much like the innocent asari she once was. Wrapping her arms around the commander, she drew her into a warm embrace. When she released her, ice-blue eyes examined her with evident curiosity. "It's great to see you again. And Garrus!" She shot him a pleasant smile.

Garrus nodded in greeting. "Liara."

"It's good to see you too, Liara. Looks like you've become quite the hard-ass…" Shepard pointed out with a smirk.

"Yes… I'm sorry you had to witness that. As an information broker, I've had to adapt to dealing with difficult people." She motioned for her to sit in the chair opposite hers. Both of them seated, it was time to address the reason Liara had requested her presence.

"So what's going on? I'm sure you didn't ask me here just for a reunion."

"Yes, well…" Liara shifted in her seat, nervous about what she had to discuss. "I've obtained some intel that concerns me greatly."

"And that is…?" Shepard asked, raising an eyebrow.

The asari twisted her monitor so that everyone else in the room would be able to view it. Within a moment, a surveillance video began to play. It was Liara's office, empty aside from the current array of furniture. Then, a figure appeared before the camera; a woman. She peered up at it briefly before raising the nozzle of her pistol. Then, the video turned to static, indicating the feed had been cut off.

"Someone broke into your office?" Garrus asked.

"Yes. I was able to find several bugs as a result. I'm still uncertain if I'd revealed them all. But that's not what concerns me the most." She rewound the vid to show the woman as she stared into the camera, and paused it. After zooming in and clarifying the picture, Shepard nearly fell back in her chair. Her heart raced as familiar features came into view.

"It can't be," Shepard gasped. Even though the woman in the vid was wearing a hefty visor, the familiarity was uncanny. "Williams?"

"I am uncertain. But the likeness can't be argued." Liara downcast her eyes sadly. There was a bond between her and the gunnery chief before she died on Virmire. Knowing there was someone spying on her, who closely resembled the woman, would have hit her hard. "Whoever this is, I suspect they are working for the Shadow Broker."

"Is there anything I can do?" Shepard asked.

"I'm going to do some more digging. If I find something, and you're still on Illium, I'll let you know. I just… needed someone to confide in. And you've always been there for me, Shepard."

The commander placed a gentle hand on the asari's. "We're friends, Liara. I'll always be there." After receiving an appreciative smile from the asari, she continued. "We have to stay to locate an asari Justicar, so we're in no rush to leave."

"A Justicar?" Liara questioned thoughtfully. "Yes, I know of one who had recently docked here. Her name is Samara. I believe she is visiting on Justicar business."

"That's her!" Shepard exclaimed. Finding the Justicar might be easier than she thought. "Do you know where I can find her?"

"You should speak with Officer Dara. I believe she'd checked in with her."

"We'll do that. Thanks Liara," Shepard said, rising from her chair.

Liara watched in silence as her friend left the office. Though she knew Shepard was alive, it was a great relief to finally see her in the flesh. Though, it was a shame it couldn't be in better circumstances. Much had changed in two years… But it was a friendship she didn't want to lose. It was all she had left.

* * *

><p>Obtaining the name of a ship seemed an easy enough task, but they had been met with much opposition from Eclipse mercs the entire way. Though, after a high body count – of the mercs of course – they were finally able to secure the information they needed to pledge Samara, the asari Justicar, to their cause. It seemed to be both a blessing and a curse. Shepard feared she would have to watch her step around the Justicar. One false move and Samara could be forced, by her code, to add the commander to her list. At least the asari would be a worthy foe, she thought with a smirk.<p>

After directing Samara to report to the Normandy, that's when the call from Liara came in. "Shepard." The woman seemed shaken.

"What is it Liara? Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine," the asari replied softly. "Nyxeris, my assistant, is dead."

"What? Who did this?" Shepard demanded.

"I did," Liara replied flatly. "I discovered that Nyxeris was an agent of the Shadow Broker. She had been passing on information and had allowed the intruder into my office."

"Where are you now?"

"I'm headed for my apartment. Nyxeris had information that I've spent nearly two years searching for and I need a quiet place to examine it. My office is no longer safe. Please, Shepard, if you are willing to help, meet me there. I'll send the address and security code to your omni-tool"

"You bet your ass I'll be there," she said, switching off her omni-tool.

"Is everything alright?" Garrus asked.

"I don't know… Liara seemed very distraught," Shepard replied with a sigh. "I'm going to go meet her at her apartment to find out what's going on. You two can return to the Normandy."

"If you insist," Miranda said coolly. She wasn't too fond of gallivanting around, visiting old friends, and she certainly wasn't happy about Shepard making a habit out of it. The commander had a job to do, and this was just another unnecessary sidetrack. But she wasn't about to say anything. The commander was stubborn, and would do whatever she wanted anyway.

"I'm going with you," Garrus insisted. The look in his eyes told her that he wasn't about to let her go alone.

Shepard smiled, her pale green eyes brightening slightly. "Thanks, Garrus."

Miranda rolled her eyes. The puppy love between these two was so obvious to everyone but each other. Needless to say, the whole thing made her ill. Ever since Garrus joined the team, he hadn't spent one mission sitting out on the Normandy. He was skilled, yes, but in Miranda's professional opinion, he was too much of a distraction for the commander. She'd spent far too much time and resources bringing Shepard back and she wouldn't let it end due to some stupid diversion. "Then I'm going too," the Cerberus operative said, crossing her arms. Someone needed to keep an eye on them. Who better than herself?

"Okay," Shepard replied suspiciously, searching the other woman's blank expression. She wasn't sure what changed her mind, but she never really understood Miranda anyway, so this really wasn't much different. She certainly wasn't delusional enough to think it was due to the operative's generous nature.

* * *

><p>Shepard haphazardly landed the vehicle in the parking area of Liara's apartment building. Miranda had a scowl set on her face the entire time, while Garrus merely smirked knowingly at her reaction to the commander's driving. He had experienced that horror enough to know what to expect.<p>

"It's worse when she drives a MAKO," he guffawed.

"My driving isn't bad!" Shepard exclaimed, eyes wide.

"You're right, it's not bad. It's frightening!" Garrus teased.

"I'll show you frightening!" She laughed, mock-punching the turian in the stomach.

Miranda narrowed her eyes at the childish display. "Shouldn't we move on?" she asked impatiently. There was a time and a place, and this was neither.

"Right," Shepard said breathily as her laughter died down. Pressing her lips together in a serious straight line, she moved past the other woman to lead the way to the apartments. They'd barely made five steps when she stopped dead, a wave of dread washing over her.

"What is it now, Commander?" Miranda demanded.

"Something's wrong," she responded worriedly. "We need to move, now!"

Sprinting into the building they hurriedly made their way through the well-lit hall, searching for Liara's living quarters.

"Here!" Shepard immediately began inputting the code for the door. Beyond it, she could hear a scuffle coupled with some shouting. When it finally slid open to reveal a darkened room, a chair, launched with biotics, hit the doorway and crashed to the floor. The three of them hustled inside, letting the door secure behind them.

"You won't leave here alive!" a female voice shouted through the darkness. Illuminated in the purple-blue glow of her biotics, she could see it was Liara. She engulfed the intruder in her biotics, raising them into the air. Then, she suddenly slammed them to the floor with an extreme force. The impact, however, didn't seem to affect the armored figure as they rolled toward the asari, kicking her legs out from under her. As soon as Liara's back hit the floor, Shepard charged forth with a momentum that knocked the figure off its feet and into the window, shattering the glass. The attacker bounced back, and through the dim light of Illium's atmosphere, Shepard could only make out the fact that it was human and female. Aiming her heavy pistol at the woman, Shepard had her cornered, her only escape through the broken window. She didn't seem the least bit nervous that she was trapped. Instead, she remained still, staring Shepard down with an eerie calm.

Two steps closer and the woman's omni-tool materialized into view, bathing her in a bright orange glow. Shepard gasped when she took in the newly illuminated features. Even past the concealing visor she could see that they belonged to a ghost; a brave and proud soldier that had once died a hero. One more step forward, she uttered the one name that came to mind. "Ash?"

The other woman studied the commander, jaw tensing with inner conflict. A small light in the visor swung from right to left, apparently scanning. Then, like a flash, she struck out with her omni-tool, slashing at the air and missing Shepard by barely a millimeter. The commander's eyes locked onto the tool, taking immediate notice of the bladed edge. She was fortunate it hadn't made contact. With her attention diverted, the assailant took that split second to charge her.

Forced backwards as body collided against body, Shepard felt her back hit something hard; a case containing one of Liara's Prothean artifacts. The other woman waved her omni-blade in front of Shepard's face, immersing them both in orange light. She could hear a _click _from the other side of the room and glancing out of the corner of her eye, got a visual of Garrus aiming his gun and Miranda quickly following suit.

"Don't shoot!" she ordered them. Lowering her voice to a soothing whisper, she turned her attention directly to the woman hovering over her. "Ash, it's me, Shepard."

"I know," Ashley replied in a deadly tone. Raising her omni-blade upwards, the point aimed at its intended mark. Her expression tensed she prepared to strike.

"Ashley, No!" Liara cried desperately.

Ashley froze upon hearing the other woman's voice shout her name. Her features softened slightly, an inner battle seemingly being fought, then won. "Li?"

Shepard took this opportunity to brace herself for impact and went in for a head butt. Before the other woman even knew what happened, she slumped to the floor wordlessly.

"Fuck," Shepard muttered, rubbing her forehead. Garrus rushed forward to help her gain her orientation while Liara stood staring down at the woman who resembled her dead lover, with a horrified expression.

"Good thing you practice that move on krogan," Garrus chuckled. "Nobody can stand up to your forehead."

"Tie her up," Shepard ordered, motioning toward the woman sprawled on the floor while resisting the temptation to grin at Garrus's comment. "When she's conscious, I have some questions."

* * *

><p>"I think she's awake," Miranda said, watching the woman as her head lolled around with slowly regaining consciousness.<p>

The woman, securely tied to a chair, raised her head to stare up at the approaching commander. Their gazes locked, but Shepard couldn't make out anything past the visor that had been grafted to the woman's skull.

"Shepard…" the woman murmured softly, visor light scanning back and forth. "Skip—" The woman's words were abruptly cut off as she threw her head back and her sharp cry of pain pierced the air.

"Are you alright?" Shepard asked with concern, while still keeping a sizable distance. No response. "Who are you?"

"My name is of no importance," the woman responded flatly.

_Okay then… _"What is your mission?"

"My mission is to secure Commander Shepard. Dead or alive."

_That's comforting_. "Who do you work for?"

"The Shadow Broker."

"Just as I suspected," Liara muttered.

The way this woman was handing out information like it was candy was suspicious, to say the least. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because the Shadow Broker wants you to know who will defeat you," she turned toward the asari before continuing, "and Liara T'soni. Shepard's body will be returned. It's only a matter of time."

_My body? Returned? _That statement was eerily discomforting. "Does the name Ashley Williams mean anything to you?" Shepard asked hesitantly. While she wanted answers, this was one she feared. Ashley Williams died on Virmire over two years ago. Nuked, to put it bluntly. The only way she could be here now was by an act of a miracle.

"No…" She paused briefly. "Yes. Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams… is dead."

The commander narrowed her eyes. "Why do you look like her?" she demanded.

No answer.

Shepard turned to look at the others. They all appeared just as confused as she. "I don't know what kind of sick joke this is, but that isn't Ashley," she said dismissively.

"We don't know that," Liara murmured.

Shepard looked away, trying desperately to hide the pain in her features before she spoke. "Liara… Ashley is dead."

"Maybe…" Liara trailed off thoughtfully. "But maybe we can find out more at the Shadow Broker's base."

"The base?" Garrus asked curiously. "You know where it is?"

"Yes, it was a piece of the information I was able to extract from Nyxeris's files. I was going to go there anyway, but maybe you could help."

"Liara, that's too dangerous! Why would you even consider going there alone?" Shepard demanded with a frown.

"I have a friend who was captured. He stayed behind to allow my escape. It's a long story…"

"I'm listening," she said, crossing her arms in wait.

Liara hesitated before continuing. "Two years ago, with the help of Feron, I was able to steal your body from the Shadow Broker."

"My body? Why?" Shepard interrupted.

"The Shadow Broker was going to sell your remains to the Collectors. Cerberus wanted to bring you back so they commissioned me to retrieve you." She braved a fleeting look at Miranda who stood emotionless and unrevealing.

"You were working for Cerberus?" She didn't mean to sound accusing.

"I didn't do it for them," Liara assured her. "I told myself I was doing it for you. But I desperately wanted you back. We all did," she said, giving Garrus a sidelong glance. She sighed, bowing her head as she continued remembering the events. "In the process, I was forced to leave Feron behind." The pain in the asari's large blue eyes spoke volumes.

"I'm sorry, Liara…" Shepard placed a gentle hand on her friend's arm.

"I don't regret my choice, Shepard. And neither did Feron." She shut her eyes tightly in an attempt to regain her composure. "When I killed Nyxeris, I was able to gain information that Feron was still alive."

"And you want to go to the Shadow Broker's base to rescue him?"

"I owe him my life, Shepard… we both do. And maybe, while we're there, we can find more information on her," she said, glancing mournfully at the woman.

"Do you know where it is?"

"Hagalaz. We could be there in a few hours."

She had to hold back a smile as she watched Miranda's expression darken. She was clearly biting her tongue. When she looked to Garrus, he was as determined as ever. "We'll head there immediately," Shepard told her.

"Thank you, Shepard." The asari's cheerful smile was enough to brighten up the darkest room.


End file.
